A recent report in Ophthalmology Times projects LASIK will soon eclipse cataract surgery as the most common surgical procedure in the United States. Almost half of all Americans - 150 million -- have some type of refractive error, and a third are LASIK candidates.

When an individual has clear vision without glasses or contacts, light rays enter the eye through the front portion of the eye, known as the cornea, where they are ultimately focused on the retina. The retina converts these light images into electrical pulses which pass through the optic nerve to the brain.

When the cornea is improperly shaped, the light does not focus properly on the retina. This condition is known as a refractive error. The three types of common refractive errors are nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism.

LASIK surgery is an FDA-approved outpatient procedure which uses the precise Excimer laser to correct refractive errors individually or in concert such as nearsightedness or farsightedness with astigmatism. Because this laser uses a cool beam, heat or scarring is not involved.

LASIK does NOT correct presbyopia (reading glasses) because this condition is caused by the hardening of the material of the lens located inside the eye. Much like a camera shutter, eye muscles squeeze on the lens to alter its shape for fine reading. When this material hardens, the lens cannot flatten sufficiently to read small print.

LASIK surgeons can compensate for presbyopia by correcting one eye for near and the other for distance vision. Consult your surgeon about the special conditions necessary for this surgery, called monovision, what it requires and whether it is right for you.